Android 5.0 Jelly Bean initiative, manufacturer favoritism

We haven’t heard too many details on Android 5.0 Jelly Bean for a while, but we’re pleased to say that we have a huge and exciting rumor to share with you now. Jelly Bean is thought to be releasing towards the end of the year, but rather than have one device to showcase the new software as tradition, we’re hearing that Google may be launching a collection of devices instead.

To put that in context, that means having multiple ‘pure’ Nexus devices with Android 5.0 Jelly Bean installed on each device, obviously giving you much wider choice than previous years. The move has been detailed in a report by the Wall Street Journal and the devices will be available from a selection of different manufacturers and available to buy all from the Google Play store.

You may already be aware that Google is now back in the business of selling smartphones online, with the Galaxy Nexus available to buy off-contract for $399 in the US only. It now looks clear that they are looking to expand on this, and the idea of having multiple Android 5.0 devices on sale at the same time is nothing short of mouthwatering.

Further whispers from WSJ state that this venture could be ready by Thanksgiving this year, i.e Black Friday, which would be a perfect time to unleash such a statement of intent. While the Galaxy Nexus is obviously a great handset, not everyone is happy with it and it looks like Google is looking to offer more options. We could see Jelly Bean devices from Motorola, HTC, Samsung and LG all available on the same date at launch – what an exciting prospect that is. If this does indeed come to light, what manufacturer would you opt for and why?

Google is yet to comment on this, but we have a feeling they may now have to – don’t forget that their Nexus tablet is already out in the open and all eyes are on when they’ll decide to release that as well.